BAHAYOGI
Connecting The Mind, Body and Soul By L. Roscoe Dames II and Rayne Morgan Photographs courtesy of Nathan J. Mayes, F.Dot Photography and Berment Photograpy
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emembering to take it easy can be a struggle when you’re caught up in the everyday hustle and bustle of life. But Alexandra Kaufmann wants to remind you to take care of yourself—mind, body and soul. And the way she teaches that is through yoga. Kaufmann is a Bahamas-based yogi, meaning she is a teacher of the ancient practice of yoga, which originated in India and whose holistic approach incorporates physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. She also goes by the fitting name “Bahayogi”, and as far as she’s concerned, “if you’re breathing, you’re already doing yoga”. “I feel like yoga has this preconceived notion that you have to be flexible in order to do it,” said Kaufmann in a recent interview with Up and Away Publisher Capt. L. Roscoe Dames, JP.
“When I first started, I was not flexible. I could not touch my toes, I couldn’t do the splits, I couldn’t do any of the stuff that I do now. It’s just a part of the journey. Once you begin to keep it up—you find that consistency, you find the breath—you’ll be amazed to see how far your practice can go. “I’ve seen that with a lot of my clients. I literally used to teach this man who was like 75 years old—he had like a hump back, he was very slow-moving. After about 12 classes, he was walking into the class with his shirt off, abs ready, ready to go, ready for power yoga, doing handstands and everything. I was like, ‘Wait, what? Who is this man?’ So, it’s just that sense of consistency and just sticking to the practice and knowing what you want out of your practice.” Despite its ancient origins, modern yoga has evolved to the point where it has many different forms and variations. It usually encompasses the practitioner
january 2022
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